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| United States Patent |
5,110,219
|
|
Lopes
|
May 5, 1992
|
Combination beach mat/tote bag
Abstract
A combination beach mat/tote bag made of a sheet of terry cloth or other
fabric having a pair of opposed side edges and a pair of opposed end
edges, the sheet preferably being of rectangular shape. A flexible strap
is attached to the sheet at the corners, and each strap has an anchor pod
secured on a distal end thereof. The sheet has a handle at each of the end
edges and zippers along each of the side edges. The sheet is adapted to be
folded in half along a line between the side edges such that the side and
end edges are superimposed and the side edges zipped up to form an open
top tote bag which may be carried by the handles. The sheet is further
adapted to be unzipped, unfolded and spread on a beach surface and the
anchors buried below the beach surface to secure the sheet. The anchor pad
is releasably secured to the strap by a snap fastener, and the snap
fasteners on adjacent straps at the end edges may be further fastened to
each other to form the handles. Each strap also includes a fastener for
removably securing the anchor directly to the sheet. An inflatable head
rest may be removably secured to the sheet near one end.
| Inventors:
|
Lopes; Rui P. (253 Bear Paw Rd., Bridgeport, CT 06606)
|
| Appl. No.:
|
697795 |
| Filed:
|
May 9, 1991 |
| Current U.S. Class: |
383/4; 5/417; 5/419; 190/2; 383/2; 383/6 |
| Intern'l Class: |
B65D 030/10; A47G 009/06 |
| Field of Search: |
383/6,4
190/1,2
5/417,418,419,420
|
References Cited
U.S. Patent Documents
| 1721571 | Jul., 1929 | Miller | 5/419.
|
| 2603264 | Jul., 1952 | Cautley | 383/4.
|
| 2898609 | Aug., 1959 | Storie | 5/344.
|
| 4164275 | Aug., 1979 | Davis | 190/42.
|
| 4231125 | Nov., 1980 | Tittl | 5/419.
|
| 4273380 | Jun., 1981 | Silvestri | 297/191.
|
| 4466516 | Aug., 1984 | Sicoli et al. | 190/2.
|
| 4468810 | Aug., 1984 | Longo | 383/3.
|
| 4499133 | Feb., 1985 | Prince | 383/4.
|
| 4512049 | Apr., 1985 | Henry | 5/417.
|
| 4516668 | May., 1985 | Grayek | 190/2.
|
| 4546507 | Oct., 1985 | Weinstein | 5/419.
|
| 4604765 | Aug., 1986 | Schultz | 383/4.
|
| 4682447 | Jul., 1987 | Osborn | 383/4.
|
| 4687248 | Aug., 1987 | Ross et al. | 297/129.
|
| 4703528 | Nov., 1987 | Rolle | 190/2.
|
| 4709430 | Dec., 1987 | Nicoll | 383/4.
|
| 4723300 | Feb., 1988 | Aranow | 383/4.
|
| 4856912 | Aug., 1989 | Damus et al. | 383/4.
|
| 4915232 | Apr., 1990 | Hill et al. | 206/541.
|
| 4991245 | Feb., 1991 | Franco | 5/419.
|
| 4991978 | Feb., 1991 | Ostrowski | 383/4.
|
| Foreign Patent Documents |
| 203221 | Dec., 1986 | EP | 5/417.
|
| 761135 | Jan., 1934 | FR.
| |
| 1264919 | Feb., 1972 | GB | 383/4.
|
Primary Examiner: Marcus; Stephen
Assistant Examiner: Pascua; Jes F.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: DeLio & Associates
Claims
Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:
1. A combination mat/tote bag comprising:
a sheet made of flexible, foldable material having a pair of opposed side
edges and a pair of opposed end edges;
a flexible strap attached to said sheet adjacent each of said side and end
edges, each strap having a disc shaped anchor pod secured on a distal end
thereof;
a handle at each of said end edges; and
fasteners along each of said side edges,
said sheet adapted to be folded along a line between said side edges such
that said side and end edges are superimposed and said side edges fastened
to form an open top tote bag which may be carried by said handles, said
sheet further adapted to be unfastened, unfolded and spread on the ground
and said anchors buried below the ground surface to secure said sheet.
2. The combination of claim 1 further including a head read removably
secured to said sheet near one end thereof.
3. The combination of claim 1 wherein said head rest is inflatable.
4. The combination of claim 1 wherein said fasteners on said sheet side
edges comprise zippers.
5. A combination beach mat/tote bag comprising:
a rectangular sheet made of flexible material, said sheet being foldable at
the middle to superimpose one half of said sheet on the other;
a pair of zippers along opposite side edges on said sheet closable when
said sheet is folded to form an open top tote bag;
a handle attached to each end of said sheet for carrying said tote bag;
a flexible fabric strip attached to said sheet near each corner;
an anchor on the distal end of each strap for burying below the beach
surface when said sheet is unfolded and spread out to secure said sheet on
said beach surface; and
a fastener on each strap for removably securing said anchor directly to
said sheet during use as the tote bag.
6. The combination of claim 5 wherein said anchor comprises a pod
releasably secured to said strap by a fastener.
7. The combination of claim 5 wherein said zippers are openable from each
end thereof.
8. A combination beach mat/tote bag comprising:
a sheet made of flexible, foldable material having a pair of opposed side
edges and a pair of opposed end edges;
a flexible strap attached to said sheet adjacent each of said side and end
edges, each strap having an anchor secured on a distal end thereof and a
fastener for removably securing said anchor and strap distal end directly
to said sheet;
a handle at each of said end edges; and
fasteners along each of said side edges,
said sheet adapted to be folded along a line between said side edges such
that said side and end edges are superimposed and said side edges fastened
to form an open top tote bag which may be carried by said handles, said
sheet further adapted to be unfastened, unfolded and spread on a beach
surface and said anchors buried below the beach surface to secure said
sheet.
9. The combination of claim 8 wherein said anchor comprises a pod
releasably secured to said strap by a fastener.
10. The combination of claim 8 further including an inflatable head rest
removably secured to said sheet near one end thereof.
11. The invention combination of claim 8 wherein said fasteners on said
sheet side edges comprise zippers.
12. The combination of claim 8 further including a fastener for further
folding said tote bag along a line between the side edges of said sheet
and superimposing and releasably securing the lower end of the bag against
the upper end thereof.
13. A combination mat/tote bag comprising:
a sheet made of flexible, foldable material having a pair of opposed side
edges and a pair of opposed end edges;
a flexible strap attached to said sheet adjacent each of said side and end
edges, each strap having an anchor secured on a distal end thereof, said
anchor comprising a pod releasably secured to said strap by a fastener;
a handle at each of said end edges; and
fasteners along each of said side edges,
said sheet adapted to be folded along a line between said side edges such
that said side and end edges are superimposed and said side edges fastened
to form an open top tote bag which may be carried by said handles, said
sheet further adapted to be unfastened, unfolded and spread on the ground
and said anchors buried below the ground surface to secure said sheet.
14. A combination mat/tote bag comprising:
a sheet made of flexible, foldable material having a pair of opposed side
edges and a pair of opposed end edges;
a flexible strap attached to said sheet adjacent each of said side and end
edges, each strap having an anchor secured on a distal end thereof, said
anchor comprising a pod secured to said strap by a snap fastener on the
end of the strap, the snap fasteners on adjacent straps at said end edges
being further fastenable to each other to form handles at each of said end
edges; and
fasteners along each of said side edges,
said sheet adapted to be folded along a line between said side edges such
that said side and end edges are superimposed and said side edges fastened
to form an open top tote bag which may be carried by said handles, said
sheet further adapted to be unfastened, unfolded and spread on the ground
and said anchors buried below the ground surface to secure said sheet.
15. A combination mat/tote bag comprising:
a sheet made of flexible, foldable material having a pair of opposed side
edges and a pair of opposed end edges;
a flexible strap attached to said sheet adjacent each of said side and end
edges, each strap having an anchor secured on a distal end thereof, each
strap further including a fastener for removably securing said anchor
directly to said sheet;
a handle at each of said side edges,
said sheet adapted to be folded along a line between said side edges such
that said side and end edges are superimposed and said side edges fastened
to form an open top tote bag which may be carried by said handles, said
sheet further adapted to be unfastened, unfolded and spread on the ground
and said anchors buried below the ground surface to secure said sheet.
16. A combination mat/tote bag comprising:
a sheet made of flexible, foldable material having a pair of opposed side
edges and a pair of opposed end edges;
a flexible strap attached to said sheet adjacent each of said side and end
edges, each strap having an anchor secured on a distal end thereof;
a handle at each of said end edges; and
fasteners along each of said side edges comprising zippers openable from
each end thereof,
said sheet adapted to be folded along a line between said side edges such
that said side and end edges are superimposed and said side edges fastened
to form an open top tote bag which may be carried by said handles, said
sheet further adapted to be unfastened, unfolded and spread on the ground
and said anchors buried below the ground surface to secure said sheet.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention is directed to a combination mat/tote bag which may be
converted from a tote bag for carrying articles to a lounging mat which
may be spread on the ground or beach surface.
When preparing to embark on a visit to the beach or other recreation area,
people often bring along a tote bag or other container for carrying
various items, along with a mat or other type of sheet to spread on the
beach or other ground surface for sitting or reclining. Attempts have been
made to provide combination carrying bags and beach mats in order to
reduce the number of items to be carried since there is may be a good deal
of walking involved before arriving at the final destination. An example
of such combination mat/bag is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,468,810. It is
desirable to have such a combination mat/bag which is lightweight and easy
to convert to its intended use as a tote bag. The article should be
sturdy, easy to clean and care for, and able to carry the desired quantity
of items in relative comfort.
It is also desirable that the bag be easily opened up and converted to its
use as a mat when the user arrives at his or her destination, and that the
mat be comfortable for both sitting and reclining. Additionally, there
should be a way of securely the mat to the ground in order to prevent the
mat from blowing away in the wind or otherwise being disturbed. One
particular method which uses anchoring pins has been disclosed in U.S.
Pat. No. 4,466,516. However, this solution is not entirely satisfactory
since the pins are stored separately and must be located and secured to
the mat every time they are used. They may also become separated from the
mat when not in use and become lost.
Bearing in mind the problems and deficiencies of the prior art, it is
therefore an object of the present invention to provide a combination
mat/tote bag for use at the beach or other outdoor recreation areas.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a combination
mat/tote bag which may be easily converted between its intended uses.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a combination
mat/tote bag which has means for securing the mat to the ground, which
means are easy to access and not easily separated from the mat and lost.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a combination
mat/tote bag which is sturdy yet easily cleaned and otherwise cared for so
that it has a long life.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The above and other objects, which will be apparent to those skilled in the
art, are achieved in the present invention which comprises a combination
mat/tote bag for use at the beach made of a sheet of flexible, foldable
material such as terry cloth or other fabric having a pair of opposed side
edges and a pair of opposed end edges, the sheet preferably being of
rectangular shape. A flexible strap is attached to the sheet adjacent each
of the side and end edges, and each strap has an anchor secured on a
distal end thereof. The sheet has a handle at each of the end edges and
fasteners along each of the side edges. The sheet is adapted to be folded
in half along a line between the side edges such that the side and end
edges are superimposed and the side edges fastened to form an open top
tote bag which may be carried by the handles. The sheet is further adapted
to be unfastened, unfolded and spread on a beach surface and the anchors
buried below the beach surface to secure the sheet.
The anchor used preferably comprises a pod releasably secured to the strap
by a fastener, such as a snap, and the snap fasteners on adjacent straps
at the end edges may be further fastened to each other to form the
handles. Each strap may also include a fastener for removably securing the
anchor directly to the sheet. An inflatable head rest may be removably
secured to the sheet near one end. The fasteners on the sheet side edges
preferably comprise slide fasteners such as zippers which may be openable
from either end. A fastener may be provided for further folding the tote
bag along a line between the side edges of the sheet and superimposing and
releasably securing the lower end of the bag against the upper end.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the invention in
its intended use as a tote bag.
FIG. 2 is an end elevational view of the embodiment depicted in FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 is an end elevational view of the embodiment depicted in FIG. 2 with
the lower half of the bag folded up and secured to the upper half of the
bag.
FIG. 4 is a plan view, partially cut away, showing the embodiment of FIG. 1
in its use as a mat.
FIG. 5 is a close-up view of the features in the upper left corner of the
mat depicted in FIG. 4, showing the strap and anchor pod in their extended
form.
FIG. 6 is another close-up view of the upper left corner of the mat
depicted in FIG. 4, showing the strap end and anchor pod secured directly
against the mat by a fastener.
FIG. 7 is a close-up perspective view of the end of the strap and anchor
pod shown in FIG. 5.
FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the inflatable head rest depicted on the
mat in FIG. 4.
FIGS. 9A and 9B are plan views depicting alternate embodiments of the
handles for the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
A preferred embodiment of the present invention is depicted in FIGS. 1-8 in
which like numerals refer to like features of the invention.
The invention comprises a combination mat/tote bag 10 which is primarily
made of a blanket type material such as terry cloth or other soft,
flexible and foldable material. The sheet 12 material used in construction
of the combination mat/tote bag should be sturdy enough to hold up under
repeated uses, yet should be preferably made of a material which is easily
washable and cared for to insure long life and usage.
As shown in FIG. 1 in its form as a tote bag, a single rectangular sheet 12
of terry cloth is shown folded in half along a fold line 14 extending
between the long side edges 22, 24 of the sheet so that the side and end
edges are superimposed on one another. Zippers or other slide fasteners
21, 23 are provided to close and secure the side edges of sheet 12. The
zippers 21, 23 are of the double ended type, that is they each include a
pair of zipper pulls 21c,d and 23c,d which permit the zipper to be opened
from either end, as indicated by arrow 25, to gain access at either the
top or bottom of the bag. The opposed end edges 16, 18 are left unsecured
to form an open top tote or carrying bag. Handles 24, 26 made of flexible
heavy duty canvas straps are sewn, riveted or otherwise permanently
secured to the ends 16, 18 respectively near the corners adjacent the side
and end edges and form loops for easy carrying of the combination mat/tote
bag 10.
As depicted in FIGS. 2 and 3, complimentary releasable snap fasteners 58
(on the top of the bag at the handle) and 60 (at the bottom of the bag)
are provided on one side of the bag so that, if necessary, it may be
folded in half along fold line 46 which extends between the long side
edges 20, 22 of the sheet to superimpose the lower end of the bag upward
against the upper end to further reduce its height. Preferably, the sheet
12 has a full length of about 60 inches and a width of about 26 inches to
provide a suitable area for sitting or reclining when it is used as a mat.
Such dimensions would give a bag as depicted in FIGS. 1 and 2 a height of
about 30 inches and width of 26 inches. When further folded as shown in
FIG. 3, the bag would have a height of about 15 inches.
FIG. 4 depicts the invention 10 in its use as a mat. In converting from the
bag depicted in FIGS. 1 and 2, the side edges 20a,b and 22a,b are
unfastened by unzipping zipper pulls 21c,d and 23c,d downward until the
zipper sections 21a,b and 23a,b are fully separated and released, and
thereafter unfolding sheet 12 and spreading it out to its full size. To
prevent sheet 12 from blowing away or otherwise being disturbed, there are
provided identical straps 28, 30, 32, 34 at the four corners adjacent the
side and end edges of sheet 12. These straps are flexible and preferably
made of fabric, more preferably a type of canvas similar to that used for
the handles.
Straps 28, 30, 32, 34 are sewn or otherwise permanently secured near the
corners of sheet 12. On the distal end of the straps there is provided
flat, disc shaped anchor pods 36, 38, 40, 42 which are adapted to be
buried as shown below the surface of the beach or other ground 44 to
secure the mat. Each anchor pod may be of any desired shape, for example,
circular, square or hex shaped, and should be preferably of a width or
diameter of 11/4" or more, preferably 2", in order to ensure that it may
be easily buried, yet securely hold the corner of the sheet against the
ground.
As shown in detail in FIGS. 5, 6 and 7 in connection with strap 28, a
releasable snap fastener 48 is provided at the distal end to loop around
and secure the ring 47 attached to anchor pod 36. Snap fastener 48 may be
opened to remove the anchor while the combination mat/tote bag 10 is
washed. Furthermore, to hold anchor 36 securely against and directly to
the sheet material without dangling when the anchor is not needed, for
example, when the invention is in its tote bag form, strap 28 may be
folded down along fold line 35 to removably secure snap fastener 48
against complimentary fastener 50 at the end of the strap secured to sheet
12. The other straps and anchors have comparable fasteners to those
fasteners 48 and 50 depicted in FIGS. 5-7.
In an alternate embodiment shown in FIGS. 9A and 9B, the handles at the
opposite ends 16 and 18 of sheet 12 may be formed by the anchor straps
themselves. In this instance, anchor straps 28, 30, 32, 34, which are
normally of length of about 5', may be lengthened and the distal ends
thereof connected at each end by means of the snap fasteners (FIG. 9A) or
loops (FIGS. 9B) discussed above. In such embodiment, straps 28 and 30 may
be connected to form a handle on one end of sheet 12 while straps 32 and
34 may be connected to form the handle at the other end of the sheet.
To provide additional comfort when the user wishes to recline on mat 10, a
head rest 52 inflatable with air through valve stem 53 is provided. As
shown in FIGS. 4 and 8, head rest 52 is removably secured to sheet 12 by
complimentary strips 54, 56 of Velcro-type hook and loop synthetic
materials which adhere when pressed together.
Thus, the present invention provides a sturdy yet easy to manufacture
combination mat/tote bag which meets the objects recited above. While this
invention has been described with reference to specific embodiments, it
will be recognized by those skilled in the art that variations are
possible without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, and
that it is intended to cover all changes and modifications of the
invention disclosed herein for the purposes of illustration which do not
constitute departure from the spirit and scope of the invention.
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